Protest staged outside of SeaWorld Orlando

Animal Rights activists stage large protest

The Animal Rights Foundation of Florida held a demonstration against SeaWorld Orlando Sunday morning.

Protesters gathered outside the gates of the popular theme park citing cruel and inhumane capturing of dolphins and killer whales.

Protesters said the recent movie "Blackfish" exposed the suffering that occurs when baby whales are separated from their mothers, shipped to marine parks around the world and withheld food to force them to perform what the group calls demeaning tricks.

The protest comes in the wake of several national music groups like Cheap Trick, Martina McBride, Willie Nelson and Heart canceling their scheduled performances in the spring.

"Now that the curtain has been pulled back, the tremendous cruelty of forced captivity has been revealed. People can clearly see that these huge, intelligent, majestic animals should be rehabilitated and returned to the oceans," said Bryan Wilson, ARFF Coordinator.

SeaWorld sent out their own response in full page national ads across the country calling the attacks unfounded.

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